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WHAT CHANGES IN SWITZERLAND

What changes in Switzerland in January 2024?

From a new president to new laws that will go into effect in Switzerland, this is what you can expect in the country from January 1st, 2024.

What changes in Switzerland in January 2024?
It is more ecological but will no longer be cheaper in Switzerland. Photo: andreas160578 on Pixabay

Switzerland has a new president

Viola Amherd, Switzerland’s current Defence Minister, will become the new president on January 1st and remain in this position until December 31st.

Unlike most countries, there is nothing surprising or dramatic about the choice of presidents in Switzerland: each of the seven members of the Federal Council gets a shot at a rotating one-year presidency. And if they stay on the Council for more than seven years, they can become president more than once.

Also unlike other countries, the Swiss president has virtually no power. Other than representing Switzerland abroad, “he or she chairs the Federal Council meetings and mediates in the case of disputes,”  according to the official government site.

In urgent situations, the president can order precautionary measures. In the unlikely event that the Federal Council is unable to hold either an ordinary or an extraordinary meeting, the president may take a unilateral decision” — the latter being the only bit of “power” the president can wield. 

Swiss 2024 president Viola Amherd. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

READ MORE: Why does Switzerland’s president only serve one year?

Prices for some essential services will increase

Your monthly health premiums will go up by 8.7 percent on average.

However, hikes will be even more significant in some cantons, where premiums will exceed the national average — for instance, in Zug (10.2 percent), Nidwalden and Thurgau (9.5 percent), Vaud (9.9); Geneva (9.1); and Neuchâtel (9.1).

Electricity tariffs will rise by 18 percent. 

Locally, tariffs will be higher in some cantons and communities.

Zurich residents, for instance, can expect a 24.5-percent increase, in Geneva rates will go by 28.6 percent, and in Vaud, which has many electricity suppliers, hikes will range from 32 to over 40 percent.

This government link shows by how much electricity prices will go up in your community. 

Higher VAT tax to go into effect
 
Switzerland’s Value-Added Tax will rise from 7.7 to 8.1 percent.

This tax on consumption is an important source of revenue for the state, as it is used to finance the old-pension (AHV / AVS) scheme.

It is important to anyone working and planning to retire in Switzerland, as without a new influx of funds, the Swiss pension system could plunge into the red within a few years, because baby boomers are reaching retirement age and life expectancy is rising.

Higher out-of-pocket expenses for brand-name drugs

The patient’s co-payment portion will increase from 10 to 40 percent when purchasing a brand medication if a generic option is available.

For the generic medicine containing the same active ingredient, this co-payment will remain at 10 percent. .

The aim of this measure is to reduce soaring health costs.
 
Health insurance to pay for additional preventive treatments

Compulsory health insurance will cover new treatments, including preventive breast or ovarian ablations in individuals who have a high genetic risk of cancer. 

Tele-monitoring of patients suffering from advanced chronic heart failure will also be refunded.

Swiss import duties to be abolished

Switzerland will abolish import duties on almost all industrial products.

According to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), “goods and services cost significantly more on average in Switzerland than in neighbouring countries.”

Part of the reason is “the variety of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers that have the effect of isolating the Swiss market, allowing companies to charge higher prices here than abroad,” SECO said.

“Removing tariffs will therefore strengthen Switzerland’s position as a business and industrial location,” and it will benefit consumers as well. 

New motorway vignettes

The vignette is obligatory when traveling on the country’s highways for residents and tourists alike.

You have the whole month of January to either affix the 2024 sticker to your car’s windshield or purchase an electronic version

If you don’t, and are caught on one of the country’s motorways without one, you will be slapped (though not literally) with a 200-franc fine.

Traditional and digital (right) version of the 2024 vignette. Photo: Media, Federal Office of Customs and Border Security.

End of tax breaks for electric vehicle owners

As an incentive for people to buy electric vehicles (EVs), which are more environmentally-friendly than conventional automobiles, the government had exempted these cars from the import tax since its introduction in 1997.

However, from January 1st, EVs will be subject to the same 4-percent import duty imposed on traditional fuel vehicles.

“The Federal Council takes the view that the exemption from duty as a incentive is no longer necessary, given the sharp rise in the share of e-vehicles in total car imports and the convergence of prices,” it said.

READ ALSO: Why electric car owners in Switzerland will have to pay tax in future

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WHAT CHANGES IN SWITZERLAND

Everything that changes in Switzerland in July 2024

From price hikes to disrupted train travel, this is what you can expect in Switzerland in July 2024.

Everything that changes in Switzerland in July 2024

July is a traditional holiday month in Switzerland and much of the country comes to a standstill (the same way as Italy and France do in August).

The government is also on a break, so political life slows down as well.

Additionally, a number of offices work on a reduced schedule, so it may seem that nothing at all happens in the country this month, but in fact quite a few changes, and other events, are underway:

July 1st: Legal definition of ‘rape’ is changed

The new criminal law on sexual matters, to go into force on July 1st, will introduce a new definition of sexual violence: ‘No is no.’

This is a reform of a longstanding legislation, which has a much narrower definition of what constitutes rape.

For instance, current law requires that penetration takes place and that victim shows resistance for the act to qualify as sexual violence.

Under the new rule, however, participants need to agree in words or clearly demonstrate they want to engage in sexual activity.

If this condition is not fulfilled, the act will be considered as taking place against the person’s wishes, and thus be a criminal offence.

Also, to be considered as sexual assault, the actual penetration no longer needs to occur.

July 1st: Price of Swiss milk to go up

You will have to pay 3 cents more for a litre of milk — an increase which is meant to bring some financial relief to Swiss dairy farmers.

But only the milk intended for drinking will become more expensive; the product which is used for cheese production will not be impacted by the price hike. 

July 1st: Cost of certain medications will increase

Swiss consumers pay significantly more for their medicines than those in neighbouring European countries. 

From July 1st,  inexpensive medicines whose factory price is less than, or equal to, 15 francs, will become more expensive. 

This change will affect more than half of medications currently being sold in Switzerland.

As a result of this move, “additional costs of several hundred million will be passed on to patients,” according to Intergenrika, which represents generic drug manufacturers in Switzerland. 

In a nutshell, consumers will pay slightly lower prices for medicines that were previously more expensive, but will also end up paying more  for those that are currently cheaper – like generics.

July 1st: SBB will change public announcements concerning suicides on train tracks

About 112 people throw themselves under moving trains each year in Switzerland.

When that happens, and the train stops midway, the public system announcement over loud speakers in the train and at all stations impacted by the delay, cites “personal accident” as a reason for the disruption.

Everyone knows, however, that this is a code word for suicide, and such announcements upset commuters.

For this reason, Swiss national rail company, SBB,  said that from July 1st, “personal accident” will be replaced by a more neutral “event linked to an external cause” — which will cover all disruptions, and not just suicides. 

July 7th: Assistance system in cars

Some safety-relevant assistants will soon be mandatory in Swiss cars.

In line with the EU, every newly registered vehicle in Switzerland must have certain systems from July 7th, 2024. However, there is no obligation to retrofit older vehicles.

For example, an emergency braking assistant must now be installed. This constantly monitors what is happening in front of the vehicle and automatically initiates emergency braking if an obstacle is detected. This can either avoid a collision altogether or at least reduce its severity.

In the future, cars will also support the person at the wheel when reversing. Warning sounds and/or reversing cameras should make obstacles or people behind the vehicle quickly recognisable.

More price hikes: Swisscom’s new ‘package’ to become more expensive

From July 24th, Switzerland’s largest telecom will abandon its inOne Home package, which includes the telephone, Internet and television.
It will be replaced by a new service called Basic Home. But as it offers a high speed internet of 50 Mbps instead of the current 10 Mbps, the cost of the subscription will be higher as well: it will increase from 50 francs a month right now to 59.90 francs.  

The transition to the new package will be done automatically, so anyone who doesn’t want to pay higher subscription price should notify Swisscom as soon as possible.

July travel news: international trains are likely to be unreliable

If you’re planning to go abroad by train this summer, arm yourself with patience.

The reason is the abundance of construction sites across Europe, which slow down, or disrupt altogether, the train schedule.

In Switzerland, railroad maintenance work is carried out at night in order not to disturb the daytime timetable. Some neighbouring countries, however, “have decided to completely close train lines for the duration of the works”, Swiss media reports.

As a result, train travel to and from Switzerland will be chaotic amid the summer holiday rush.

You can see were in Europe train travel will be disrupted the most:

READ ALSO: Why you should not rely on trains to and from Switzerland this summer 

Also:

Culture!

There are plenty of festivals, concerts and other events taking place all over Switzerland in July.

You can see them here:

READ ALSO: 7 unmissable events in Switzerland this July

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